My Safe Haven is With You
by DaPokemonMadster
Summary: More than half a year since the Fall of Beacon and Ruby Rose has made it to Mistral. Unbeknownst to her, her sister is hot on her trail, her partner is escaping her father in an airship, and her teammate is determined to take back an organization gone rogue. And they've all landed in the same place.
1. Strawberry Sunrise

**A/N: So hey, I'm actually writing some things again (a miracle, I know), and RWBY's been hitting me hard! I really want my girls to have a reunion, so I wrote this out. Hoping to do one with Yang and the other members of the team, too. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY, it is the property of Rooster Teeth productions.**

By the time Yang reached Mistral her left palm was slippery with sweat. She continued to nervously readjust her grip on the handlebars of Bumblebee as she pulled to a stop at a nearby inn, intent on asking for directions. She strode inside with her heart in her throat, past the customers and the stumbling, slack-jawed fellows that frequented the bar in the back, and up to the counter.

If one were to take a look at Yang Xiao Long, they would see golden hair and accented clothes, dark pilot shades and cocky grins, hips and snazz. But one look was rarely sufficient, and oftentimes any who looked close enough might notice the weary bags under her eyes, the sweat trickling down her neck, the strained quality to her smile, or the fact the the fingers on her right hand were a bright yellow. That was almost easy to miss with a once-over, the color seemed so _right_ on her, that you could almost forget it wasn't natural. The man at the counter didn't grant her close scrutiny, though. The sheer variety of people in all their strangeness was monumental in the outskirts of Mistral.

"Can I help you?" He grunted, beard bristling.

"Uh, yeah, do you know where Haven Academy might put up visiting students?" Yang asked, biting her lip. She left the inn with an address and a growing pit of fear in her stomach. For all her courage, for all her backbone and guts, she couldn't for the life of her understand why she was so damn scared to see her little sister.

Except she did know. She knew that the months of being apart had taken their toll. That she was different, that they _both_ were different now. She knew in the way that her arm still ached, and how the last time they'd talked, she couldn't bring herself to tell Ruby that she loved her. She knew in the guilt that plagued her, of how she hadn't gone after Ruby - what if she'd been killed? - hadn't gone with her when she left. Hadn't been there to keep her safe. And most of all, she knew in the little ball of anger, the feeling of betrayal gnawing away in some dark corner of her mind, because her sister had _left_ her when she needed her the most. Everyone had.

Then there was the relief that she'd be able to confirm with her own eyes that her sister was fine, and the worry that maybe she _wasn't._ Maybe Yang had missed something, maybe the body of Ruby Rose was lying somewhere in the vast sprawling wilderness of Anima, left for the carrion and Grimm, and all alone… Or maybe - and this thought was almost worse - maybe she wouldn't recognize her anymore. Maybe the person that used to be her sister was gone, replaced by someone entirely new, someone cold-hearted and unfamiliar.

Yang gulped and grabbed at her stomach, which was twisting into knots. This was stupid. She was being stupid. This was _Ruby Rose_ , nothing could keep that girl from a smile. Yang sighed and swung a leg over her bike, starting up the engine. She was overthinking everything. She glanced at the address one more time, squinting at the directions the innkeeper had scrawled out, before speeding off, utterly in dread.

...

Ruby cautiously rapped her knuckles on the door to the room where Jaune, Ren and Nora were staying. It had been nearly a week since they had arrived in Mistral. Qrow was nowhere to be found (presumably at the bar), and she was feeling, for the first time since they'd arrived, lost and uncertain. She had finished her letter to Yang, found an envelope for it, and delivered it to a nearby post-office, feeling weighted by an immense amount of sadness and guilt that had seemed to come from nowhere. She desperately needed company. Desperately missed that of her big sister. She found her companions sitting in a pile on the floor, comforting each other with hands on shoulders. Jaune looked up at her with too-bright eyes, and gave her a watery smile.

"Heya, Ruby."

"Hey, Jaune." Ruby's lips curled upwards at the corners ever-so-slightly, and she took a seat next to what was left of team JNPR.

"Soooo, I guess I wasn't the only one who just got really sad, huh?" Ruby chuckled, turning to look at her companions.

"Nope," Nora answered, wiping at her eyes, "Guess now that we've finally stopped moving, everything caught up with us." It was the truth. When the four of them had still been traveling, the only time they'd had to reflect on the events from the Fall of Beacon was at night. They were all plagued by nightmares, and they all knew it. It just never seemed to be a topic open for discussion. But now that they had reached their goal, nobody knew how to move forward, how to keep distancing themselves from those thoughts. Ruby let out a shuddering sigh.

"I sent a letter to Yang… to let her know, y'know, that we made it." Ruby shrugged, "And now…"

"Now what?" Ren asked.

"I... I really don't know. Uncle Qrow said Mistral was where that… _Salem_ person was going to strike next, but… I don't know what we're supposed to do now. And he hasn't been around to answer any of my questions," Ruby sighed and looked at her hands folded neatly in her lap, "... I miss my team." Her friends exchanged a glance. Of course they'd experienced loss, they had lost a member of their team. One of their best friends. And for one of them… maybe more than that. But at least they'd had each other for the last half-year. Ruby was utterly alone. And they knew they couldn't replace her team, her partner, her sister, and one of her best friends in the whole world, no matter how much they tried or cared.

"Yeah… life's been pretty rough on all of us." Jaune tilted his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Has Yang ever… replied? I mean, I know you've been sending her letters every time we get to a town…" Nora asked tentatively.

"No," Ruby shrugged, "I mean, it's not like we've ever stayed in one place long enough for a reply to get to me. And who even knows if she's been getting my letters? We all know how crappy the postal system is… heh. And… well, I'd imagine it's kinda hard for her to... w-write letters right now." She sniffed deeply. Ren and Nora stared at the ground.

"I hope her recovery is going smoothly." Ren said at length. Ruby nodded, a lump in her throat.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk. Does anyone wanna come with…?" Ruby said, standing up and dusting her cloak off.

"Might do us all some good." Jaune replied, getting to his feet as well, "Ren, Nora?"

"I think we'll pass. We'd like a minute to talk, just the two of us." Ren gave a tight-lipped smile, and Jaune nodded. Ruby and Jaune left the room, and strolled to the lobby where Ruby stopped by the water fountain to get a drink. As she bent down to take a sip from the fountain, she found herself marveling at the beauty of even this simple boarding house on the outskirts of Mistral. Shafts of sunlight fell lazily through the windows, illuminating stunning paintings and carved wooden sculptures that Ruby could only presume were made by the housekeeper herself. She'd only seen a fraction of Mistral, and already it was the most beautiful place she'd ever been. Even the thrumming of airship engines and the squeal of tires on gravel outside felt natural. She was truly in the creative heart of Remnant.

"Finished?" Asked Jaune, and Ruby nodded, stepping towards the main door.

...

Yang pulled to a stop outside the long, low wooden building. She put down Bumblebee's kickstand, grateful for her shades with the glare of the midafternoon sun in her eyes. She was sweating profusely, now, a mix of heat from the unseasonably warm spring, and anxiety. She wiped her palm on her pants, and took a step toward the door. Before she could walk any further, the door to the house seung open, and two people stepped out. It took her a second to recognize Jaune, and her little sister Ruby who caught sight of her and froze stock-still. Yang's stomach plummeted, throat constricting, and fingers clenching. Ruby was staring at her with wide eyes that were quickly filling with tears. Yang took a deep breath.

"Ruby Rose, do you have any idea how worried I've-" She began, but couldn't get anything else out after that, because Ruby was crashing into her, and sobbing into her shoulder and all of a sudden she was glad she was wearing shades, because tears had sprung to her eyes, too.

"Y-Y-Yang! Wh-what're you… How..." Ruby choked, not daring to pull away or let go of her sister. Yang was holding onto her just as tightly, wrapping her arms around Ruby's slight frame with no intention of letting go, because she was _okay_. She was _alive_ and _whole_ and still herself. It had been so long since she'd been able to hug anyone with two arms, and she savored the sensation.

"I'm sorry... I haven't been here for you. But I'm here now… just took me a while to catch up." Yang whispered into her ear. Ruby pulled away indignantly.

"No, it's _me_ who should be sorry, Yang!" She sniffed, and looked directly into Yang's eyes, reaching up to pull Yang's shades away, " _I_ was the one who left in the first place. You've always been there for me… been there for everyone. But then when you needed people to be there for you.. I-I… ran off on some stupid, dangerous, _reckless_ mission, and I'm so selfish, I'm sorry I was only thinking of myself…" She sunk back into Yang's chest with a strangled sob, and Yang reached up to run her left hand through Ruby's hair, with a long sigh.

"It's alright, Rubes. I forgive you. Y'know… I'm really proud of you. Yeah, maybe I missed you at home, and yeah, I regretted not being out here with you, but… You made it here on your own. All the way to Mistral. I'm so, so proud." Ruby hugged Yang even harder, sniffling deeply.

"And since we're both here together, can we just say to hell with it, and call it square?" Yang asked. Ruby was silent for a minute, before giving a hesitant nod, and pulled away again to stare into her sister's face.

"I guess… But still-"

"Later," Yang said, "we're still healing, Ruby. In more ways than one." At that, Ruby gasped loudly.

"Wai- your arm!" She turned to look at Yang's right arm, eyes as wide as saucers. Yang held it up, and the light glinted off the scuffed, yellow metal.

"Whoooooooaat is that!? How'd you get it!?" She exclaimed, running her hand over it in wonderment.

"A gift from the General. It's brand-spanking new! … Or at least it was, I've been training with it for the past month," Yang said sheepishly, flexing her fingers, "It's pretty incredible. Works really well, and it's not even heavy!"

"Did the General have it painted yellow? It matches Ember Celica!" Ruby said, practically vibrating in excitement.

"Nah, I did that myself. Bit hard to do it with my left hand, but it's not too shabby!" Yang grinned. A cough from behind her had her glancing over to Jaune, who'd been patiently waiting for the sisters to finish their reunion.

"Jaune!" Yang smiled wider, "How's it going? Are you keeping my sister safe?"

"Heh, as if I can do a better job at that than she does." He replied, giving her a small wave, "I'm glad to see you're okay."

"Are Ren and Nora here, too?" Yang asked, glancing around.

"Yeah! They're just inside, c'mon! Nora's gonna be so happy to see you, and I bet she'll freak over your arm, too!" Ruby squeaked. Jaune turned and walked through the door, and Ruby grabbed her sister's metal hand in her own, turning to follow him. Yang decided not to tell Ruby that she could barely feel her.

"Yang?" Ruby said in a quieter voice.

"Yeah, Rubes?"

"I'm really glad to have you back."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be."

 **A/N: Felt kinda rushed, I'm sorry, but here's how I think (hope) it'll play out! Reviews are always appreciated!**


	2. A Midnight Refill

**A/N: So I was actually planning on doing a Freezerburn chapter next, but then I kinda.. wrote this. I felt like the sisters needed so much more, and I mean, they still need so much more but yeah, here y'are. By the by, recovery's not gonna be linear/easy for Yang, so strap in.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY, it is the property of Rooster Teeth Productions**

With a soft gasp, Yang jolted awake. The fingers of her left hand were gripping the sheets of her bed tightly, and she could feel cold sweat dripping down her neck and back. Her eyes wildly took in her surroundings - the blank walls of the boarding house, painted silver in the moonlight, the white sheets and comforter of an unfamiliar bed, and the curtains billowing slightly in the cool breeze from the open window - before she remembered where she was. Mistral. Far from Beacon, far from danger. It was over, it had _been_ over for more than half a year. Taking deep, steadying breaths, Yang slowly sat up, still shivering violently despite herself. She _hated_ that her nightmares still held so much power over her. That she could be reduced to a terrified, shaking mess just from a mere memory. It was on nights like these that terrible, intrusive thoughts crept unwanted into her mind. She wasn't strong enough, she hadn't been ready to come out here, she knew that more than anything. But she'd needed to, if only for the person still sleeping beside her. The last thing she wanted was for Ruby to be privy to the knowledge that she was still so unsteady, still so _weak_ …

"Yang?" Her sister's small voice cut through the night's stillness and Yang gripped her sheets so tightly her knuckles went white.

"Yeah, Rubes?" She tried to hold her voice steady, but couldn't quite manage it. She heard rustling in the bed next to hers, before seeing a pair of brilliant, silver eyes flash in the dark.

"Are you okay? You were thrashing around a lot… it sounded like you were having a nightmare." Ruby sounded scared. Yang never got nightmares, if she did she hid them well. It was always Ruby in need of comforting in the wee hours of the night. Yang didn't know how to answer and gave a noncommittal grunt. She didn't want Ruby to know how badly she was still trembling. More rustling, and then the patter of Ruby's bare feet on the wooden floor.

"Can I…?" She asked softly, placing a hand gently on Yang's blankets. Yang nodded, throat tight, and her little sister slipped into bed beside her. If Ruby could feel Yang shaking, she didn't comment. Instead, she drew her knees up to her chest and reached for Yang's hand, loosely grasping onto her fingers. Yang leaned back into the headboard of the bed and sighed, staring up at the shadowy ceiling.

"What was it about?" Ruby said after a length, playing with Yang's fingers. Yang gulped, still looking at the ceiling.

"Same thing it always is. What happened _that_ night." She replied, voice hoarse. Ruby snuggled in closer, and worked her way under Yang's arm, so that it was around her shoulders. Yang felt more than saw Ruby glancing up at her face. She knew her eyes were wide.

"Does it still hurt?" Ruby whispered, glancing over at Yang's right side. She hadn't once worn her prosthetic to bed since she'd gotten it. As incredible as it was, it still didn't feel like a part of her. She wasn't ready to commit herself to it fully, to give in to it all the time. And nights like these… it scared the hell out of her. Yang lifted her head, her eyes falling to where the moonlight glinted off of the yellow steel of her arm on the desk across the room.

"Sometimes I get phantom pain. I know it's not real but it still… It still hurts. I still feel it." Yang murmured, and Ruby gripped her fingers harder.

"Like a bad dream. It's scary, even if it isn't real." Ruby said. Yang swallowed hard again.

"Yeah." Yang said tautly. Ruby shifted, resting her chin on her knees and running her thumb over the numerous scars on Yang's knuckles. Nervous habit, maybe. The two of them hadn't had a serious discussion about anything since their first reunion. Yang had blended into the group, hiding her nightmares, thoughts, and flashes of crippling memories behind closed doors, sunglasses, and fake smiles. Trying to get things back to normal. She hadn't wanted Ruby to realize just how broken she was, how she wasn't ready.

"How bad is it?" Ruby asked cautiously.

"Pretty bad. I get nightmares almost every night, usually accompanied by phantom pain. Random flashbacks to that night, a lot of times triggered by loud noises. I tell myself that it's not real, that it's _over_ , but y'know… doesn't really help. Things were the worst for the first month. I was… really deep in depression for a while. Kept thinking that there must be a good reason that everybody left me. Then I just figured that it was _me_ , that I was the reason, that I must be useless, that nobody wanted me since I couldn't fight anymore, and I fell right back in the pit again. It was a bad cycle. I mean, it's not really over. I still feel like that, I still don't know why everyone leaves." Yang didn't know why she was telling Ruby everything. Taiyang hadn't asked her about it, and she had thought she'd been grateful for that. But here, in the dark, with her sister beside her, she felt compelled to let everything that had been on her mind spill out. Ruby sniffled. Yang almost felt guilty for piling all this on her sister, it was selfish, she tried telling herself. But for once, _she_ wanted the attention. She wanted to be the one getting comforted.

"Yang… I'm _sorry_ for leaving. I didn't mean to ever make you feel that way, you know I love you more than anyone in the world…" Ruby said, turning to face Yang all the way.

"I know, Ruby," Yang squeezed her hand, "I know you were just going to try and do the right thing, go after Cinder and whoever else. You're a restless little bugger anyway, there was no way we could've kept you in that house much longer." She teased, poking Ruby on the knee.

"Yeah, but I left you alone," Ruby sniffed, "I know you said we should just call it square but…"

"I meant it, too." Yang sighed.

"But that was a time when _you_ needed _me_. I didn't deserve to take that from you. Instead… I came out here and almost got killed and ended up needing you to come to me and-" Ruby babbled, her silver eyes starting to shine with tears.

"And I forgive you for it. It's just who you are, Rubes. I won't pretend I wasn't hurt by it, but it's in the past and I won't get anywhere if I'm all hung up on it. I love you unconditionally, y'know that, right?" Yang said. Ruby sighed, long and drawn out. She hugged Yang's arm, leaning into her with her cheek on Yang's shoulder.

"You always put up this front, Yang. Of being all unaffected and stuff. Like you're never hurting. You're always taking care of me, and everyone, but never yourself." Yang stiffened. She wanted to deny Ruby's words, but they were true, and the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to cry. And the one time something had gone wrong that she couldn't hide, she'd been abandoned.

"You know it's okay to talk to us, right? To put yourself first? You don't need to feel guilty for it." Ruby said softly. Yang didn't answer, but heat pricked at her eyes and she sniffed deeply. Ruby rocked forward, onto her knees, and wrapped her arms behind Yang's neck, giving her the best hug she could manage from their awkward positions.

"Yang… if you don't wanna talk about it, just gimme the word, but… what happened to you and Blake that night?" Ruby was treading as lightly as she could, but she wasn't good with emotions, at least, she wasn't good with other people's emotions. And just bringing up Blake's name was like walking into a veritable minefield while blindfolded. Yang didn't know if that was a topic she could discuss, she didn't know if she was ready to discuss it, but if she didn't take advantage of this moment she might never be able to tell Ruby. Besides, she could always try, and then clam up if it got to be too much. Her sister of all people would understand and leave her be. Slipping her arm out from around Ruby's shoulders, she hugged it to herself, biting her lip.

"You remember… the day we got disqualified from the Vytal tournament?" Yang began, averting her gaze from Ruby. Her sister made a small noise in confirmation, and she took another steadying breath to ground herself.

"When Blake… when she didn't believe me, when she compared me to someone else, someone that she used to know, who'd turned bad…" It was hard to get out, but the more she spoke, the more she felt she needed to tell Ruby everything, "His name is Adam. And… he was there that night. During the Fall, with the White Fang. He found Blake, and then I found them. Blake she was… she was hurt, bruising. He'd hit her. And then, to get my attention, he stabbed her, just to make her scream." Yang was rocking back and forth now, the fingers of her left hand rubbing up and down where the flesh of her shoulder met the seam of the metal port where her arm attached. Ruby was listening with rapt attention, a growing expression of horror spreading over her features.

"For a second I thought she was dead. And then… I completely lost it, Ruby. I don't think I've ever felt so consumed in rage before, I just… I had to get to her, keep her safe," Yang's breaths were coming quick and shallow, "It was stupid. I didn't stop to consider, just let my semblance take me over. I jumped at him and… that's all I remember. After that, I woke up in bed, alone. Arm gone. Guess even after trying to save her, she was the one who had to save me."

"Yang..." Ruby reached out with her hand again, perching it on Yang's knee. She was at a loss, and Yang didn't blame her.

"I dunno. I've thought a lot about it, it's all I _could_ think about for a while. I've come to the conclusion that, reckless as it was, there was literally nothing else I could've done. And I guess maybe it was the right distraction, or whatever, because we both got out alive. I don't regret it. I just wish I knew why she…" Yang left the sentence hanging, but they both knew what word would have come next. _I wish I knew why she ran_.

"I lied to you, Ruby." Yang gulped.

"When?" Ruby said, with seemingly endless patience.

"When I told you I didn't care. I still don't know why she did it, but I did… I _do_ care. I want to know _why_ she left me, why she ever thought that it'd be okay. That _I'd_ be okay." Yang lifted her left hand to swipe at her eyes. She couldn't keep the tide back forever. Ruby reached her arms around for another hug, rubbing slow circles into Yang's back. Yang took a few, shuddering breaths, allowing herself to sink into Ruby's arms.

"It's all gonna turn out okay." Ruby assured her, continuing her gentle ministrations, "I mean look at us, _we_ managed to get back to each other. We're together now, and I think things can only go up from here. Being apart was probably the worst thing after the Fall, for all of us." Yang hiccuped, tears leaking from her eyes.

"It's weird, I just _know_ we'll all be back together again someday. I can feel it. Team RWBY… we need each other. They'll come back. We'll learn why." Ruby said, so calmly and with such unwavering confidence that Yang could close her eyes and let herself believe it, if she tried.

"I blame myself, Ruby, for not coming after you. I feel like I'm a terrible big sister, for not being there for you." Yang squeezed her eyes shut. Her shoulders were shaking, and she gripped the back of Ruby's nightshirt tightly.

"That's dumb," Ruby said matter-of-factly, "you can't always be there. You're not invincible, Yang, and I feel like… maybe it took this to make me see that. You're only human, y'know, even if you are my big sister. And I think losing an arm is a good enough reason to focus on yourself and not your little sister for a bit, don't you?" And that's when the floodgates broke. Yang felt herself losing control, as sobs wracked her body and tears ran down her face unchecked. Ruby only hugged her tighter, calmly waiting out the storm. Yang wondered when she'd gotten so mature, so incredibly empathetic and good with words. She squeezed Ruby closer, sobbing into her shoulder, dampening her hair that had gotten so much longer, and shaggier. She'd never felt so vulnerable in front of her little sister before, and yet, strangely, she didn't feel weak. She didn't feel the need to pull herself together, and hide her pain away behind a smile. For the first time in her life, she felt inexplicably free, felt a connection and love for her sister that she never had before. She realized it was because, for the first time, she didn't feel an inch of responsibility. There was no image to uphold. She could just be Yang, and let her true emotions shine through. It was so _liberating._

"I-I'm… 'm so p-proud of you, R-Ruby Rose…" She managed, gulping and gasping like a fish out of water. Ruby pulled away, giving Yang a watery smile and sniffling deeply.

"I love you, sis." Ruby said, voice small.

"I love you, too." Yang replied.

 **A/N: I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you think, reviews are very much appreciated!**


	3. Bumbleby

**A/N:** **... Okay oops. Sorry this story kinda got... uhh, left in the dust? So like, I know I said I was gonna do Freezerburn, and I've actually had a lot of that chapter sitting in a doc for ages, but I have two (2) valid reasons for posting this one before that one. FIRST, I've had the majority of this written since V4 ENDED and since it's doubtful I'll have the motivation to finish the Freezerburn one before V5 starts I at least wanted to get this chapter (my favorite and the one I'm most proud of) published. And SECOND, it's Bumbleby week on tumblr and the theme for today, Oct. 8, is Beeunion. So like, perfect timing, I guess! Without further ado, please enjoy 4.6k words of that good Bee angst.**

 **(At this point Sun and Blake have both landed in Mistral and Ghira and Kali are on their way but haven't left Menagerie yet)**

...

Their first meeting was something neither of them had intended to happen. Blake hadn't planned on seeing Yang again, at least, not so soon. Not until after she'd taken back the White Fang, and taken Adam off the map. Not until she'd made absolutely sure that he couldn't hurt Yang ever again. Maybe then she would've been ready, wouldn't have been so ashamed to stand under the scrutiny of that lavender gaze. But after she landed in Mistral they'd met by pure coincidence, bumping into each other in an alley outside the small grocer nearby the hotel room she had rented with Ghira's money, and Blake was trapped. Stumbling her way through raw emotions she wasn't equipped to handle and drowning in waves of guilt.

Blake had been making her way through the alley when her gaze had been caught by a brilliant, yellow motorbike propped on the side of the narrow throughway, and her mouth went dry before her mind could place where she'd seen it before. And that's when Yang appeared, striding into view, her arms laden with groceries, and Blake forgot how to breathe. Yang Xiao Long was markedly different. Each step she took was jangling, byproduct of all the zippers on her clothes. Her jacket, pants and belt-tails made her seem older, more mature than the flamboyant attire she wore at Beacon, but still so very _Yang_. But no, it wasn't her updated wardrobe that had struck Blake. It was the tighter set of her jaw, the guarded look in her normally open and kind eyes, how thin she had become, and the unfeeling yellow fingers of her right hand. Blake's heart sped up to a mile a minute, her stomach plummeted, and she found that she was frozen, she couldn't move an inch. And then Yang turned and caught sight of her, and she was pinned by those eyes that scrunched in confusion, then widened in recognition, then burned a bright, fiery red… Yang dropped the bags she was carrying, mouth hanging open. Aside from the fearsome glare of her eyes, she looked like she might cry. One tentative step towards Blake, and the faunus sucked in a sharp breath and started to back away, eyes wide and fearful, pulse pounding in her ears.

"No, Blake, don't run," Yang said, voice hoarse and stretched thin, "Not again." And Blake stopped, balancing on the balls of her feet, ready to take off at a moment's notice. Her eyes dropped to the ground, and her arms fell to her sides. Her ears were pressed so flat against her skull it almost hurt. She looked anywhere but Yang. She noticed Yang's boots as they cautiously edged closer to her, as if Yang was afraid she was some sort of vision, that she'd whisk away like smoke if she got too close.

"Stop," Blake murmured, "Yang, don't come any closer." Yang's boots halted on the pavement, crunching on loose gravel.

"Why?" This time she sounded angry, and Blake squeezed her eyes shut.

"Because… no, don't ask. It's better if I don't tell you." Blake muttered, bracing herself for impact. A strike across the jaw, or an angry outburst or _something_. Yang had every right to hit her, if she deemed Blake deserving of it.

"What kind of crap is that?!" There it was. No blow to the face, but something equally painful. At that, Blake could have slapped herself. She didn't _get_ to feel that way. It was all her fault in the first place. She didn't dare meet Yang's eyes.

"Blake, you don't get to do this. That's not fair. You don't get to leave without a word- Blake, look at me!" She all but shouted, and Blake jumped, her eyes shooting upwards. Her eyes locked with Yang's, and she didn't think she could break eye contact if she tried. Yang's face was a roil of emotions. Her eyes were still red, but shining with unshed tears (of sadness or frustration, Blake couldn't tell), her mouth was knotted up into a thin line, and she was biting her lip to stop it from trembling. She took a shuddering breath before continuing.

"You don't get to do this," She repeated, "You left me without a word, before I'd even _woken up_ , when I needed you the most. Do you know how it felt to wake up after that, _completely alone_? Do you know how I felt? You don't get to pull that and then not give me an explanation for it." The words tumbled out of her mouth messily, overlapping. As if she'd practiced them before, but never really believed she'd get a chance to say them. But she hadn't been alone, had she?

"Where… where was Weiss?" Blake gulped.

"Gone. Her dad came and forced her back to Atlas before I woke up." Yang said, her voice at a higher pitch than normal, as if she were straining to get the words out without completely falling apart.

"Ruby?" Blake's voice cracked, a bitter taste building at the back of her throat.

"She took off only a month after we got home," Yang said, and this time it was she who looked away, "Left with the rest of team JNPR. Made it here, to Mistal. I was only just able to come after them." The world felt as if it had been pulled out from under Blake's feet, a sensation of stomach-flipping vertigo. She wanted to throw up. Wanted to melt into a puddle of self-loathing and guilt, because it was all her fault, everything was her _damn_ _fault_. Because she had left Yang completely and utterly alone, in her hour of greatest need, when she must have woken up in a whirl of pain and confusion, with nobody to hold her steady as her entire world came crashing down around her ears. A sickening memory flashed through her mind's eye, of the two of them standing in an empty classroom, talking of the woman who abandoned Yang before Yang even knew what she looked like. The magnitude of what she'd done yawned before her.

"I was _alone_. _Why_ did you leave?" Yang asked again, more quietly this time. Blake licked her dry lips, and closed her eyes again under Yang's stare.

"I-I can't…" Blake shook her head, and she heard Yang turn and punch something.

" _Dammit_ Blake!" She yelled, and took a step towards her, "Look, alright, _look_! I don't blame you! I don't blame you for _this_ , okay?" Yang flexed the fingers of her right hand, "I never did, and I never will! Yeah, it sucked! It was the worst day of my life when I woke up and found out my arm was gone, I thought my life was ruined! I was broken! But even then… even then I never blamed you, not once! I know you feel guilty about what happened, that you blame yourself, but _it wasn't your fault._ You weren't the one who did this. I made my own choices that night, and there was nothing anyone could've done to stop me from jumping in there, alright? _Nothing_."

"But that's where you're wrong, Yang! It _is_ my fault! It is absolutely my fault- no, just listen to me!" She cut Yang off before she could interrupt, "He _wants_ me, can't you see? The only reason he was there that night is because he wants revenge! Because _I_ left the White Fang. He wanted _me_ , and because I was _stupid_ enough to think I'd be safe at Beacon, I let you get close. I had people that were important to me, and he knew it. And when he came, you were in the way! You got hurt because I was there!" Blake's vision had gone blurry, and it took her a moment to realize it was because she was crying.

"You're _wrong_ , Blake. Even if he hadn't shown up, there wasn't anything that anyone could've done to stop Cinder's plan from happening. The Fall would've happened no matter what! I could've very well lost an arm to a.. a Grimm or something!"

"You're missing the point-"

"No, _you're_ missing the point! It was _his_ fault I lost an arm, not yours. You weren't the one swinging the sword, were you? He came after you, sure, but _I_ made my own choice to go find you. I chose to jump in! And I'd do it all over again if it meant saving you, got it? The only thing I blame you for is leaving, now give me an explanation!" Yang was suddenly very close to Blake, staring her down with eyes that were almost flickering between red and lilac, and were most certainly leaking tears. Blake gulped, her breath hitching.

"B-because… he threatened… h-he told me…" She sputtered to a stop.

"What did he tell you, Blake?" Yang said, voice quieting. Her face looked like glass, sharp and angled with anger but ready to shatter at a moment's notice.

"He told me… he _promised_ me he'd d-destroy everything I loved… s-starting with y-you." Blake swallowed noisily and looked up at Yang, who looked like she'd been hit with a train.

"A-and he hurt you and… the only way I could keep you all safe, keep him from h-hurting you any more was to get away, get as far away as I could." Blake continued her explanation, cringing at how much her own words sounded like excuses, at how eager she was to explain herself now that she'd been given an opportunity. She'd failed yet again to protect Yang. Yang stepped away, closing her eyes. She shook her head slowly. There was a long pause. Blake sniffed.

"Sounds like you were just protecting yourself," Yang began, and Blake's stomach plummeted. Her decision to run had torn her apart, but she'd _had_ to, if only Yang could understand.

"He still knew my face, it's not like he'd leave me alone if-"

"Don't you see? He _only_ wants me! He'd go after me, he'd hurt me in the worst ways he could. A-and that's… that's hurting the people I care about. That's hurting you, if you were close. I needed to distance myself, get as far away from you as possible… Th-then if he came after me.. You and Weiss and Ruby… you wouldn't be there, you wouldn't be close to me. He can't touch what's not there. Don't you get it, Yang? You three are the most important people in the world to me! Team RWBY… I would never be able to live with myself if you died. Never. And I understand if you hate me because of it. You deserve to. I hope you hate me, if that's what it takes to keep you away from me." Blake said, voice shattering.

"That wasn't your choice to make." Yang said, so quietly that anybody else might've missed it.

"I understand why you did it," she turned away, shrugging her shoulders, "I might've done the same in your position. But that was _my_ choice to make, and you should have been there… you p _romised_ us, your _team_ , that you'd stop shouldering everything by yourself and… No, okay, I can't do this right now." Yang turned back, marching over to Blake to roughly shove something into her hands before turning to walk away. Blake gasped at her cold touch. It had been her metal hand, she realized.

"That's the address where we're staying, if you care." Yang said over her shoulder. As she bent down to pick up the groceries she'd dropped, Blake got her first real look at Yang's new arm. Her blood ran cold. She couldn't help it. Where there had once been flesh and blood, was only cold metal, black and yellow and so _unnatural_ , a permanent reminder of the trials she'd endured. It was scuffed from use, even though the shine on the unmarked parts suggested it was a recent addition to Yang's life. And she'd already mastered it, Blake thought with wonder, as Yang deftly snatched the last bag off the ground. Without looking back at her, Yang swung her leg over her bike, and took off, zooming around the corner and out of sight. As soon as the buzz of Bumblebee's motor disappeared, Blake sank to the ground, eyes shut tight, hands over one set of ears, the other flattening against her head once more. And she sobbed. Mourned what she'd single-handedly taken from this girl, once so full of life and love.

...

It was nearly a full three days before Blake worked up the courage to visit the address Yang had given her. After she peeled herself off the ground in the alleyway and wiped her eyes, her first instinct was to run. Get as far from Mistral and Yang as possible. But a combination of Sun convincing her to go (he had found the piece of paper with the address on it, and waited patiently as Blake spilled out her story of the encounter), and the desperate look in Yang's eyes had propelled her to make her way through the darkening evening streets towards the boarding house where her team was staying.

Yang was holed up in the room she'd been sharing with Ruby, disassociating with the others. She hadn't told Ruby about running into Blake. She knew it wasn't fair, but she didn't think it was something she could get through a conversation about. She needed time to think, to sort out her feelings from the jumbled mess they had become at seeing Blake. She lay back in her bed with a sigh, grabbing for a book, but before she could reach it there was a knock on the door. Yang grunted in response, figuring it was Ruby.

It wasn't.

Blake stood in the doorway, unsure of what to say and Yang's tongue went dry.

"Well, don't just stand there." She finally managed. Blake took a step inside the room, hugging her arms to her body and looking miserably out of place. How had they let themselves become so estranged? So clinically distanced? Yang yearned to close the gap, but her jumbled emotions tripped over themselves, tangling her in a mess that she couldn't quite bring herself to unravel. She hated being angry at Blake, but she couldn't just brush it off, not when she had such a terrible, gaping hole in her heart. Blake's eyes flickered around the room, before coming to a screeching halt and dropping to Yang's right side, accompanied a tiny gasp. Yang followed Blake's gaze with her own, before remembering that her arm was halfway across the room where she'd casually tossed it onto the desk, and the last time Blake had seen her without it had been when she was bleeding out on the stone pavement of Beacon's courtyard.

"Oh, shoot, hang on-" Yang began, hastily sitting up and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

"No wait, you don't have to! Sorry!" Blake said hurriedly, cheeks flushing, "I'm sorry!"

"Look, Blake, if it makes you uncomfortable to see me like this, I can put the arm back on. No biggie." Yang frowned, feeling suddenly self-conscious. She had the abrupt urge to curl up into herself and hide away from the world. She didn't really blame Blake for her reaction. After all, Blake still blamed herself for Yang's loss, and seeing her with one arm must have dredged up bad memories. The kind she'd been running from. Still, Yang didn't like the feeling of pushing away her own comfort for the benefit of others. She'd been doing that for far too long, and if she'd figured anything out after sustaining her injury, it was that she needed to start prioritizing herself. But Yang had had enough of people staring at her for the better part of a year. If it would at least avert Blake's gaze, she'd put the damn thing back on.

"No," Blake shook her head, "Your comfort matters far more than mine. I shouldn't have reacted that way." Yang shrugged, and sank back onto the bed. She took a hard look at Blake, trying to come up with something to say. She hadn't taken the time to notice Blake's new outfit in the alley behind the store, but the long, white jacket jacket suited her. Even if the boots were, admittedly, a bit overkill. She looked ready to take on the high seas. The biggest difference, however, was the lack of the little black bow hiding away her feline ears. Yang hadn't taken the time to notice it was missing in the alley, and she marveled at how they were in almost constant motion, twitching backwards and forwards, catching every tiny sound.

They were both awkwardly skirting around the conversation they'd had three days prior, and Yang knew it. Blake kept looking away, nervously rubbing her right arm with her left, and biting her lip. She glanced back at Yang, and their eyes met for a split second before they both looked away. Blake cleared her throat.

"I… didn't ever realize you had freckles, Yang." Blake said, finally. Yang looked at her in surprise. Usually _she_ was the one to break the silence.

"Oh… oh yeah. Well, I wasn't ever too fond of 'em… to tell the truth, I'd hide them under my makeup every morning at Beacon." Yang grinned sheepishly.

"You did _not_." Blake allowed the shadow of a smile to flit across her face. Their conversation was light and airy, without substance. A superficial facade. So _painfully_ fake.

"You bet I did. And remember the night we fought Torchwick in that Atlesian Paladin? Yeah well, I got really bruised up. But I hid all that, too." Yang chuckled, noticing how Blake glanced across to the desk at the far end of the room, where her arm was lying, glinting in the last shafts of evening sunlight.

"Speaking of Atlas…"

"Yeah, it's Atlas tech," Yang nodded, "General Ironwood himself sent it to me. Top of the line, free of charge."

"That's.. Really kind of him." The last time the two of them had seen the general in person, he hadn't been as kind. Yang still felt a bitter taste in her mouth at the thought of her unfair disqualification from the Vytal Tournament.

"You can touch it, if you want." Yang said. Blake gulped, and walked over to the table, uncertainty eating away at her. She reached out with a reverence akin to that of being permitted to touch some priceless, ancient treasure, and placed her hand on the smooth surface of the forearm in wonder.

"It's… incredible." She said, turning to look at Yang, eyes gleaming with an emotion Yang couldn't place. Yang gave a weak smile, and nodded. She had just glanced down at Blake's midriff and noticed something out of place. Slowly, she got out of bed and approached her, tentatively reaching out her hand to brush away Blake's jacket, and exposed the scar lying beneath. It was ugly and jagged, a raised streak of white against Blake's otherwise perfect skin. Yang's throat was tight as she placed her left hand over it, something hot rising behind her eyes. She took a shuddering breath.

"Blake… I want you to know… while you blame yourself for this?" Yang nodded to her stump. "I blame _myself_ for this. I should never have let him touch you." She traced a finger down the length of Blake's scar, before looking up to meet her eyes. Blake's brows had knitted together, and she seemed to be on the verge of tears.

"You are… an _idiot_ , Yang Xiao Long. I got myself into that mess far before Beacon, and dragged you in with me." She sniffed, "You had no fault in this whatsoever." Yang closed her eyes and took a step away from Blake, her fingers lingering on the scar for just a moment longer before slipping away. Yang sighed, running her hand through her hair.

"What a mess we are," She murmured, and opened her eyes again. "So… he said… he'd destroy everything you love starting with... me?" Stifling tension immediately clouded the air, threatening to break and spill like water over the lip of a glass at any given moment. They had finally broached the keg of unease lying under the false pool of calm. Blake gulped, and slowly nodded.

"He… he saw something in my eyes that night, Yang. As soon as you came, he could tell. He knew immediately how much he could hurt me by hurting you. I love Ruby, and Weiss, and... you, more than I thought I could love anybody. But he could tell when he looked at me, that…" She trailed off, biting her lip so hard that she could taste blood. "That you… you were special." She finished, closing her eyes.

"What… what are you getting at?" Yang asked in confusion and wonder, her heart was beating so hard, she was sure Blake could hear it. She watched as Blake gulped again, and then opened her eyes, making level eye contact with Yang. She drew in a deep, steadying breath.

"Because I love you more than any other person on this planet, Yang. And he figured it out with just one glance, and wanted to destroy that."

"Oh." Yang said. She shifted from foot to foot, and the tension suddenly felt more suffocating than ever, and very, very awkward. She needed an escape. She felt like she was underwater, drowning under the immense weight of what had happened and what had been said. Blake's next words sounded nearly unintelligible.

"Yang… do you hate me?"

"What?"

"I asked if you hated me. You deserve to, I-I know you do… but I need to know. For peace of mind." Blake said in a calm voice. But her rushed breathing, flushed cheeks, and sorrowful eyes gave her away. Yang sighed deeply, and turned away. She paced over to the twin beds, lying side by side in the middle of the room, absentmindedly picking up a book lying on Ruby's bedside table, weighing it in her hand. She could hear her own heartbeat pumping in her ears. She bit her lip, trying to decide what to say.

"I won't lie, Blake. I _wanted_ to hate you for so long. For months after the Fall, I lay in bed, stewing in my own anger, thinking about it all. But I came to a realization. No matter how hard I tried… I couldn't do it. Couldn't hate you. I don't think I'm capable of ever hating you. I mean, you say you love me. Didn't it ever occur to you… even _once_ , that there was a reason, beyond me being your partner, that I threw myself into that fight? Did you ever stop to think that maybe I felt the same way you do? I was ready to lay down my life to save you. And… well these past three days all I could make out of my jumbled thought was just how _happy_ I was to see you, alive and well and… as okay as anyone can be after going through what you have. So no, Blake. I don't hate you. I can't hate you." Yang finished, voice wavering. Blake was crying in earnest now. There were no sobs, but tears were flooding down her face.

"I just… thought that this time… I might've been worth it." Yang all but whispered. Blake felt her heart shatter.

"Yang… you _are_ worth it. I need you to understand I was only doing what I thought was right. What I thought would keep you safe. Making the choice to run… it was the hardest decision of my life, and I realize now it may not have been the right one. But everything I did… everything I _do_... is for you. And I'm so sorry I hurt you. That was never my intention." Blake stepped forward, willing Yang to believe her words. She meant every one of them. Yang bit her lip.

"Everybody always leaves, Blake," She said, finally. "And my brain's telling me that you're lying. That you'll leave me again, just like everyone else, because that's what _always_ happens. But… my heart says you're telling the truth. I want to believe you more than anything, so… so I will. I'll try with all my might to believe what you said is true, if you'll fight with me to prove to me that it is." Yang said, looking up and locking eyes with Blake. Blake closed the gap between them as much as she dared.

"I'll be with you every step of the way, Yang." She said, sincerity ringing from every word. She had felt what the absence of her team did to her, they all had, and she wouldn't allow it to happen again. Yang closed her eyes and gulped, fighting back tears. She nodded in understanding, before opening her eyes once more.

"But now… it's my turn to ask you something." Yang said, heat rushing up her neck, to her ears.

"Anything." Blake whispered.

"I… you just… you seem so uncomfortable around-" Yang muttered, looking at the floor.

"Yang," Blake said, her voice stronger, "I won't pretend that I don't feel guilty about your arm. I won't pretend that when I first came in, I wasn't a little shaken, but please. You are the most beautiful person I've ever met. Nothing could change that. Nothing can stop you from being you. And that new arm? It's a part of you. I think… it's amazing. And with or without it, _you're_ amazing. I'm not uncomfortable around it, I'm not uncomfortable around you. It's just… I should have stopped him before…" She broke off before her voice broke completely. Yang kept her eyes trained at her feet, and nearly jumped when Blake's slim fingers slipped into her own, pulling her hand up where she could clasp it between both palms.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Yang. For everything. Can you… ever forgive me?" Blake choked. Yang looked at her, the girl that she loved with all her heart. The girl that she'd do anything for, over and over again, even if it meant losing another arm. Even if it meant losing her life. The girl that had hurt her so deeply. The girl that had torn her own heart to shreds with her bare hands in an attempt to keep Yang safe. And her eyes softened.

"I forgive you, Blake Belladonna," She whispered, "I forgive you, but I'm not done being angry. We're not done healing, or rebuilding. We're not anywhere close." Blake closed her eyes and nodded.

"That's all I can ask for." She said, throat bobbing. She didn't deserve to embrace Yang, to touch her. But she couldn't help herself. She choked back a sob, and flew into her, wrapping her arms tightly around Yang's neck, feeling the tears flowing freely down her face. Blake stiffened slightly as she felt Yang's single arm creep tentatively around her own back and pull her in to deepen the hug, but then melted into her. Yang sighed into her hair, and it was as if she was releasing the weight of the world. Blake had never felt such immense guilt, she didn't _deserve_ her. She should have stayed away, tried harder to keep her safe. Yang's arm should have served as a reminder of what happened anytime Blake got close to somebody. But then again, Blake was too selfish, and far too much of a coward.

...

 **A/N:** **Will I be posting more of these chapters? Maybe but doubtful, just because V5 starts in like six days and will render probably most of what I write here non-canon. But hell, I'll see if I can finish up that Freezerburn one because I do love that dynamic a WHOLE lot! If you enjoyed, please leave a review, they make my day!**


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